Aeonium ‘Tenerife Rose’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Aeonium  cultivar named ‘Tenerife Rose’ is disclosed, characterized by green foliage distinctively margined with a dark bronze color. Offsets are formed in distinctive vertical tiers, producing a more columnar plant. Plants are robust and grow quickly., while maintaining an attractive compact habit.  Aeonium  is, typically produced as a container plant for the patio or for landscape use.

Latin name of the genus and species: Aeonium hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘TENERIFE ROSE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar, Aeonium ‘Tenerife Rose’, was found by the inventor, Renee O'Connell, as the result of a crossing made January 2012 as part of a planned breeding program. The seed parent variety is the unpatented proprietary variety referred to as Aeonium hybrida ‘Cat 07’. The pollen parent is the unpatented variety Aeonium hybrida ‘Bordeaux’. Aeonium ‘Tenerife Rose’ was selected by the inventor, Renee O Connell, in April of 2013 from a group of seedlings resulting from the 2013 crossing, at a commercial greenhouse in Vista. Calif.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘Tenerife Rose’ was first performed in Vista, Calif., at a commercial greenhouse, by vegetative off-sets in October of 2013. ‘Tenerife Rose’ has since produced multiple generations and has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘TENERIFE ROSE’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘TENERIFE ROSE’ These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘TENERIFE ROSE’ as a new and distinct Aeonium cultivar:

-   -   1. Fast, robust growth, more so than many other Aeonium species         and cultivars.     -   2. Aeonium ‘Tenerife Rose’ freely offsets, producing tiers of         offsets to quickly form a desirable specimen for the landscape     -   3. Aeonium ‘Tenerife Rose’, rather than clustering laterally as         do many comparable Aeoniums, produces tiers of offsets more         vertically, continuing to produce offsets towards the apical         meristem of the plant.     -   4. Aeonium ‘Tenerife Rose’, as a result of the habit of         producing more of a columnar morphology, is better suited as a         centerpiece in a garden or dish garden planting, than many other         comparable Aeoniums.

COMPARISON TO PARENTS

Plants of the new cultivar ‘TENERIFE ROSE’ are similar to plants of the seed parent in most horticultural characteristics, however, plants of the new cultivar ‘TENERIFE ROSE’ differ in the following;

-   -   1. Aeonium ‘Tenerife Rose’ exhibits a more columnar morphology         than the seed parent.     -   2. Aeonium ‘Tenerife Rose’ produces rosettes of leaves of a         medium green, distinctively outlined with a darker color,         whereas the leaves of Aeonium ‘Cat 07’ are a dark brownish         color.     -   3. Aeonium ‘Tenerife Rose’ exhibits offsets towards the apical         meristem of the plant, whereas Aeonium ‘Cat 07’ produces offsets         mostly approximately halfway up the plant, and does not continue         to produce offsets towards the apical meristem.     -   4. Aeonium ‘Tenerife Rose’ grows faster than Aeonium ‘Cat 07’.     -   5. Aeonium ‘Tenerife Rose’ produces more offsets than does         Aeonium ‘Cat 07’.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘TENERIFE ROSE’ are similar to plants of the pollen parent in most horticultural characteristics, however, plants of the new cultivar ‘TENERIFE ROSE’ differ in the following;

-   -   1. Aeonium ‘Tenerife' Rose’ produces rosettes that are a         slightly darker green than those of Aeonium ‘Bordeaux’.     -   2. Aeonium ‘Bordeaux’ offsets freely, but tends to produce the         offsets laterally, whereas Aeonium ‘Tenerife Rose’ produces the         offsets more vertically.     -   3. Aeonium ‘Tenerife Rose’ exhibits a distinctive darker leaf         margin, whereas Aeonium ‘Bordeaux’ displays a more subtle         difference between the margin/blush and the green color.     -   4. Aeonium ‘Bordeaux’ grows to approximately 12″ in height,         whereas Aeonium hybrid ‘Tenerife Rose’ grows to approximately         18″ in height.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘TENERIFE ROSE’ are comparable to the unpatented, commercial variety Aeonium ‘Escondido’. The two Aeonium varieties are similar in most horticultural characteristics; however, the new variety ‘TENERIFE ROSE’ differs in the following:

-   -   1. Aeonium ‘Tenerife Rose’ grows more upright than does Aeonium         ‘Escondido’, producing a specimen that is taller in height.     -   2. Aeonium ‘Escondido’ produces offsets laterally, whereas         Aeonium ‘Tenerife Rose’ continues to produce offsets near the         apical meristem, resultant in a more vertical growth of the         offsets in relation to the principal plant.     -   3. Aeonium ‘Tenerife Rose’ forms rosettes of green leaves, with         distinctive darker margins and darker overall blush in strong         light, whereas Aeonium ‘Escondido’ produces rosettes of green         leaves with a ruddy blush and margins.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘TENERIFE ROSE’ can also be comparable to the unpatented commercial variety Aeonium ‘Party Platter’. The two Aeonium varieties are similar in most horticultural characteristics; however, the new variety ‘TENERIFE ROSE’ differs in the following:

-   -   1. Aeonium ‘Tenerife Rose’ begins to offset when the plant is         only 8″ or so in height, whereas Aeonium ‘Zwartkop’ does not         offset until it is taller.     -   2. Aeonium ‘Tenerife Rose’ produces offsets freely, often in         multiple tiers that create an aesthetically appealing cluster,         whereas Aeonium ‘Zwartkop’ produces less offsets, and does not         produce the offsets in multiple tiers, resultant in a lankier         plant that does not display the pleasing appearance of a “full         cluster”.     -   3. Aeonium ‘Tenerife Rose’ forms rosettes of medium green leaves         with a distinct darker margin and a darker blush in strong         light, whereas Aeonium ‘Zwartkop’ forms rosettes of dark, nearly         black leaves.     -   4. Aeonium ‘Tenerife Rose’ can fill a production pot with an         attractive cluster with one cut in several months, whereas it is         necessary to plant multiple plantlets of Aeonium ‘Zwartkop’ in         the production pot to give the impression of “branching”,         resulting in higher production costs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates in full color a typical of plant of Aeonium ‘Tenerife Rose’ grown in a shadehouse in Vista, Calif. at a light intensity of approximately 2500 to 3500 fc.

Age of the plant photographed is approximately 10 months from a rooted plantlet. The photograph was taken using conventional techniques and although colors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques. All photographs provided by the breeder.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe ‘Tenerife Rose’ plants in a commercial shade house in Vista, Calif. Temperatures ranged from approximately 6° C. to 35° C. night and day. No artificial light, photoperiodic treatments or chemical treatments were given to the plants. Natural light conditions were approximately 4000 fc of light. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Aeonium hybrida ‘Tenerife Rose’.

PROPAGATION

-   Type of propagation typically used: Vegetative offsets. -   Time to initiate roots: About 18 days at approximately 24° C. -   Root description: Fibrous, brown, not accurately measured with a     color chart.

PLANT

-   Age of plant described: Approximately 4 months. -   Container size of the plant described: 1 gallon. -   Growth habit: Upright, caulescent, with a somewhat loose terminal     rosette, very freely offsetting. -   Height: Approximately 27 cm to top of highest leaf. -   Plant spread: 32 cm. -   Growth rate: Moderately fast. -   Branching characteristics: Freely offsetting. -   Rosettes per plant: Average range 10 to 16.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:     -   -   Arrangement.—Rosulate.         -   Average length.—Outer rosette mature leaf approximately             12 cm. Inner rosette mature leaf approximately 7.0 cm.         -   Average width.—3.0 to 4.2 cm.         -   Width at base.—1.2 cm.         -   Shape of blade.—Spatulate.         -   Apex.—Mucronate. Immature aspices rounded, mature foliage             aspices more angular and sloped than rounded.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Finely ciliate.         -   Texture of top surface.—Glabrous.         -   Texture of bottom surface.—Glabrous.         -   Quantity of leaves per rosette.—Average range 40 to 60.         -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: Base Yellow-Green 144D.             Mid-section near Green 137C, uppermost section Green 137A.             Apical margin 187A. Young foliage, under side: Small basal             section near Yellow-Green 144D. Mid-section near Green 137B,             large uppermost section Green 137A. Apical margin 187B.             Mature foliage upper side: Base Yellow-Green 144C.             Mid-section Green 137C. Large uppermost section Green 137B.             Apical margin 187A. Mature foliage, under side: Base             Yellow-Green 144C. Mid-section Green 137D. Large uppermost             section Green 137C. Apical margin 187A.         -   Venation.—There is no visual appearance of venation.

FLOWER

-   Flowering not observed to date.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Flowering not observed to date.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Fruits and seeds: Plant has not flowered or produced fruits and     seeds to date. -   Temperature tolerance: Tolerates temperatures from approximately −2     degrees C. to 40 degrees C. -   Disease/pest resistance: Displays the same disease and pest     resistance of any other comparable Aeonium. -   Drought tolerance: Tolerates at least 3 weeks of high temperatures     without supplemental water, showing no serious damage to plant. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Aeonium plant named ‘TENERIFE ROSE’ as herein illustrated and described. 